7 Days / 6 NightsSlow & ImmersiveModerate
The Wild South
Seven untamed days in Ruaha and Nyerere: boat safaris along the Rufiji and raw solitude among the baobabs.
Route:Ruaha National ParkNyerere National Park (Selous)
fromUSD4,150per person
Southern Circuit
Nyerere National Park (Selous)
"The vast waterways, oxbow lakes, and borassus palm forests of the Rufiji River basin."
Landscape CharacterBroad river channels, sandbars, palm groves, and miombo forests
Optimal Season & TimingJuly to October (best wildlife concentrations and clear river conditions)
Key Wildlife Species
African Wild Dog ·Hippopotamus ·Nile Crocodile ·Elephant ·Lion ·African Skimmer
Field Perspective & Terrain
Covering over thirty thousand square kilometres, Nyerere National Park was carved out of the legendary Selous Game Reserve. It is Africa’s largest national park.
The defining force is the broad Rufiji River, which splits into a labyrinth of interconnected lakes, channels, and islands. Because water is everywhere, riverboat safaris are the primary activity alongside 4x4 game drives.
Endangered African wild dogs hunt in the palm forests, while waterbirds congregate in their tens of thousands around the oxbow lakes.
Destination Highlights
- Boat safaris drifting past pods of fifty hippos and basking giant crocodiles
- One of the last strongholds of the critically endangered African wild dog
- Lush green landscape dotted with soaring borassus and doum palms
- Authentic fly-camping on sandbars under the open African night sky
Tested journeys
View all routes →Routes Passing Through Nyerere National Park (Selous)
View route→
Where we sleep
View all accommodations →Camps & Lodges in Nyerere National Park (Selous)
Ruaha & NyerereLuxury Tented CampTier 2 · Comfort Wilderness
Rufiji Waterway Tented Camp
Shaded by towering borassus palms on the high bank of the Rufiji River inside Nyerere National Park, this camp celebrates the life-giving waters of Africa’s largest river. Safari tents feature thatched canopy roofs and private wooden verandas where binoculars stay in hand: hippos grunt in the muddy banks, fish eagles cry from mahogany boughs, and crocodiles slide into the water. In addition to open 4x4 game drives, the camp specializes in boat safaris navigating narrow channels and sand islands.
Raised wooden platform tents with thatched shade flysPrivate verandas looking directly down onto Rufiji RiverEnsuite flush toilet and continuous hot water showers
fromUSD520per night